Well, as of 2:30pm on Tuesday, ya boy passed the Pre-Trip, Backing, and My Driving Test. Here at PRIME, when you accomplish all three on your first attempt that is called a “Trifecta”! You get a little bonus on your next week’s paycheck as a little congrats. My green student badge is now purple, and I am considered an employee of PRIME INC. I will take my testing paperwork down to Texas and get my official CDL sometime within the next 30 days.
The test began with me being on the “test pad” to start my pre-trip duties. I was given coupling and trailer. After those were done with, I was on to the lights, in-cab and then air brakes. I was fortunate enough to have an examiner that was pretty cool and that wasn’t too picky with my wording. Once the in-cab was complete, I began the backing maneuvers. The ones that I was given to do were straight back, parallel to the right and ally dock. Once all the in-cab checklist was completed, the examiner and I headed out on the road for the road test. It wasn’t too bad since I had previously drove 4,000 miles with my trainer. After the road test, I was able to find out if I passed or not. And you know ya boy PASSED it!
After getting everything done, the examiner and I went and got my trainer for a picture with his truck… which will be posted on the PRIME INC. facebook this week (I will post the pic here once I get it).
Now, you’re probably wondering what’s next on the agenda. Well, I was surprised by Jessica with the Galaxy 4 Classic that I have been eyeing for a couple days. Then, we ate lunch at Rib Crib, getting pretty much a sampler with pulled pork, brisket, smoked sliced chicken and hot links..it was all pretty tasty. We chilled out and had dessert at Fire and Ice, which is the hotel and conference center that is owned by PRIME’s Founder/CEO. After that, as you can imagine I was pretty relieved and exhausted from studying, and trying to keep my mind straight around everything. As far as yesterday, we did laundry, got groceries for the truck and just hung out and had a lazy day.
As far as my continuation of training, I will still be considered “in training” until I complete 30,000 OTR miles. It seems pretty daunting, but it won’t be that bad. But I am ready to actually get out and, on the road, so that we can start making/saving money and doing the things that we want to do.
Training BadgeEmployee BadgeHow I felt when everything was over…lmaoThe Official Trucking HatThat Galaxy 4 Classic 🙂
Sooo what makes a good road trip? MUSIC! I’ve got several playlists on Spotify but I felt it was time to make another, with some new music. I have a pretty wide range of music from Gospel, Broadway, Gospel, Todrick Hall, Lil Nas X, Big Freedia, even a lil Country and so much more lol I like to keep it pretty random, and would like to see what music I should add to my new “Driving Playlist” drop me some songs! Below you will find my playlist that I have already started on! I also threw in a few pics that I had my trainer take while I was driving last week. They don’t give the scenery justice AT ALL, but at least you get a little taste 🙂 Don’t mind the bugs, they just got a lil too close haha.
So as you would presume, eating on a truck (that is not yours or the one you will ultimately be on) can be difficult if you are trying to be healthy. Especially for someone like me who loves to cook and eat lol. Truck stops don’t have many healthy options, so going to the grocery store before taking off in the truck is so beneficial. Not to mention that truck stop prices are outrageous lol. Here are some of the things that I have been surviving on. Now I have been getting the salads, and subway sandwiches, and the occasional slice of pizza while at the truck stops to mix things up a bit. And to help me stay “regular” water is a necessity.
Beef jerky. This sweet teriyaki has become a close friend. lol Good flavor, good on protein, and not much is needed
Now I do enjoy some good ol’ raisins, but there right here have changed the game.
Well really Cran.Anything in my book. These lil boogers are sweet, tangy and not too much.
Because Im boujie and only want the reds. But a couple of these while in traffic or some gum will help ease those nerves.
Okay, so I’m not a big fan of tuna, unless my mom makes it. So I decided to go the chicken route, and I am very impressed, this flavor has just the right amount of buffalo to chicken ratio. Its good right out of the pouch, on a cracker, or with a boiled egg.
WHEN I TELL YOU THEY DID THE FOOL WITH THIS ONE! Straight out of the pouch, on a cracker, over a salad or again with a boiled egg. Add just a lil bit more lemon pepper seasoning to it and its on and poppin’ It’s a true Lemon Peppa’ Steppa’
Okay…so these I was unsure about…BUT the one in BBQ sauce SLAPS! and it comes with crackers already.
Cant forget about the OG of cracker sammiches, I had to go with these because my trainer has a nut allergy and I’m not trying to send him onto Glory…
Now with these, I need you to take whatever you know about sunflower seeds and throw it away. These right here ARE THE BUSINESS!!! I can eat the whole bag in one sitting! BIGS has all kinds of flavors.
One thing about trucking is that you don’t always know where you may be picking up a load, or dropping one off until your fleet manager aka (dispatch) sends you one. This is done on a completely random basis. So as I have been out with my trainer learning how to drive the truck, I have been through 8 states on two different loads. Now the first load was from Springfield, MO to Arkansas. This was a load that we were able to pick up at our yard and shoot straight to Arkansas with it. The next load that we picked up was in from Arkansas and went alllllll the way to Washington state. This trip took us through Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and finally Washington. When I tell you I have driven through some pretty tricky hills and valleys with MANY sharp turns going through the various mountains in the Pacific North West portion of the country. With it being my first time, while it was dark out my trainer took over, since he has been through these parts before. This part of the country that some of the most beautiful scenery, with my ears popping and all. From the trees to the streams, mini waterfalls, houses on the side of the mountains, to the sunrises and sunsets all have been postcard worthy.
For those that know me y’all know that I am not a morning person AT ALL. But when you have to get up at 1am to get on the road, its just something you’ve got to do. Now I’d be lying if I told you that I almost pee’d my pants on some of those sharp turns and hills. But the biggest part of this job is knowing that YOU are the captain of your “ship” and YOU are in control at all times. Its been quite the adventures, not really knowing my trainer and figuring out him while staying true to myself and making sure we keep our boundaries. (this will be another blog post for another day) Now showers are not on a daily basis, because depending on where you are on the road and what time you have to shut down will be the deciding factor if you will be getting a shower, or a wipe down (hoe bath) lol but we attempt to get a shower every other day if not daily. Everyday it is getting easier. The next step in this journey is to get back to Springfield to our terminal and to continue to work on backing, and pre-trip so I can pass my state CDL test and take my upgrade classes.
To those of you that are keeping up with me on the road, THANK YOU, and what is it that you’d like to know about my journey!? Help give me something to write about!
So trucker respect….I’ve had my own little thoughts on truckers and I’m sure you have to. They are nasty, rude, 300-pound slobs. For some those words may fit lol. For others it is the exact opposite. These men and women are moms, dad, uncles, aunts, grandmas, grandpas and so forth. Many take care of themselves on the road, they have fitness equipment to work out and keep their minds and bodies up for driving hours on the roads, they cook their own meals (truck stop food may be tasty but it will take you down the road to diabetes FAST). Many of them have companions such as cats or dogs on the road with them also to keep them moving. Ya know these are just regular folk out here making a living. This job isn’t in the least bit easy with deadlines, knowing your truck inside and out, shippers, receivers, truck stops, showers, rest stops, not to mention people who don’t feel as if a truck that is loaded down and weigh potentially 80,000 pounds is dangerous on the road. These babies be loaded down and will drag you some yards if you aren’t careful. They should really teach 18-wheeler safety in driving school, hell in school period. These trucks are carrying literally everything that we use on a daily; your food, clothes, TVs, phones, shoes, pretty much anything you can think of. Be courteous and stay out of their way. I’ve learned so much and have a different kind of respect for these people….yes Jessica is a trucker, but you know how the saying goes, “You gotta experience it fa ya own self.” This is something that I never would have thought of myself to do, but here we are. I do suggest it for those of you who like to travel, and have adventures, like myself and Jessica. Lol now I am not a trucker yet, but I am well on my way.
Gooood Lawwwwd so much has happened since the first blog!!! It has been constant, and new experiences that have been truly eye opening! The cool thing about coming to drive for PRIME is that your training is essentially *free* meaning that once you are hired on, you have to work for the company for a year and you don’t owe anything for training.
So far I have been through my Orientation, which was pretty straight forward (Many adults do not know how to follow instructions lol). We did an actual face to face interview and verification of documents, got our meal cards, and hotel room. Yes we get a lil hotel room to ourselves and 3 square meals, one thing that I learned early, is that you will not starve around here. Because of COVID, every student had his or her own room at 1 of like 5 hotels close to one another in Springfield, MO. There is a Shuttle that will take you to the main terminal, the plaza, each of the hotels and of course Wally World. During orientation, we were split up into 3 different groups, who were to stay together for classes and things most importantly simulator class. (basically a big video game with 3 TVs in front of you and a truck set up, which was pretty sweet) We also had to do self paced computer based training, thank God I brought my own laptop, so I was able to do my CBT’s in the comfort of my room I got group B, and we had our morning roll call, and times for sim class. Sim/safety class was a bit intimidating at first, I wont lie. But we made it through. After orientation was over, we then were assigned to go to the Plaza building, where we would begin actual class. There we had a tire and loggs class to learn about the tires for the trucks and trailers, tread depth and tire wear etc. After tires we learned how to log our times and things down for payroll. Next we were handed a 10 page document. I bout passed out, because it is the pre-trip, which is what we have to complete for our test. This pre trip includes the engine compartment, driver’s door/fuel, coupling, lights, trailer, and in-cab. We all thought we were gonners in that moment. But once we started working through it, it hasn’t been too bad. I just now feel that everything is “properly mounted and secured, not cracked bent or broken.” lol
After we started with the pre-trip at the plaza, that is pretty much what we were assigned to until we were placed with a trainer. I will tell you right now, that with me not being mechanically inclined, it was difficult to learn, and I’m still reciting and getting everything down. But once I was assigned my trainer, we met and gave introductions nd things, and he pretty much gave me the run down on how everything works. We set boundaries right off the bat which is all good so we know where each other stand.
Right off the bat the next morning we meet and took a tour of his truck, he is in a 2020 Peterbilt which isn’t all that bad. nice bunk area, decent room and air vents on the top bunk. After that we go over pre trip on his truck and what’s different since every truck is a little different. From there we go to the pad, which is where the backing maneuvers are learned for the driving portion of the test. Day 1 needless to say I was trash lol, but its a work in progress, no one gets it on the first try. Day two we do pre-trip again and some more pad time, Im starting to figure out which way to turn the wheels of the truck to get the trailer to follow. After some backing, we go on a little route around Springfield with an empty trailer. Driving forward with a trailer isn’t that bad other than having to turn wide and watch where the trailer is tracking while turning. Other than that we’re in a car lol, just sitting high.
Day three we were going to wait and get pad time in the evening, but the pad was filled with students and their trainers, so we decided to chill, and I would wash clothes and pack and things. We get a load from Springfield to Oklahoma City so I was stoked, it was about 300 miles/4.5 hours. My trainer picked me up at the hotel, I threw everything on the top bunk and we took off to get the trailer and hit the road. I drove the whole way to OKC with no issues, chillin and chit chatting to help time go by.
So far everything has been good, I have a whole new respect for truck drivers, this life isn’t easy. These truckers literally keep the world moving. (this will be another post later on lol) But after delivering to OKC, we were dispatched to get loaded in Fayetteville, Arkansas and then drop off in two different locations, those being Medford, OR and Woodland, WA. Yes, I will be driving a good ol’ 2,600 miles one way lol and then we will make our way back to Springfield so I can get some pad time in before I test. Stay tuned, as the next blog will be the details of the trip, as we make our way from Arkansas all the way to Washington! Driving in parts of the country I have never been! Cheers to the new adventures!
Well, where do I begin? For those that do not know, my girlfriend is a truck driver, and has been for our entire relationship. Meaning she has been home maybe 7 days a week every month. As many people could assume, yes it put quite the strain on our relationship in many ways. But we pushed through. When we got together I was working for a beer distributor and hated it. I later found a job at Lowe’s working the Admin Office, and I loved it, until I didn’t…lol After that a friend and old supervisor of mine assisted me in getting a job as General Manager at a local convenience/grocery store. Which was also going pretty good, until of course, until it wasn’t. That is one of the things that I’ve learned, that while working jobs for other people in jobs that don’t go anywhere, and you stop learning may start out all fine and dandy, eventually things will start to dwindle.
We had been talking about team driving for a while, and after things started going south at my last job, we set a date and decided to take an actual vacation, one in which neither of us had really had and then begin the journey together. I had put in my two week notice the week of July 4th, and set my last day of work for the 20th of July. It was easy to leave my job, but difficult to say goodbye to the people that I had spent time with grooming and teaching management to and just basic professionalism to. But it had to be done.
Upon quitting, we decided to pack up our two bedroom two bath apartment and stick everything in storage. I spoke with a recruiter, filled all the appropriate paperwork out and went for a physical and drug test. Once that was approved I scheduled the written portion of my CDL with the DMV in Texas City (my dad’s) so I had an official appointment thanks to COVID, everything is done by appointment now, and I wouldn’t have been able to get an appointment until September in Smith Co. We decided to have a little get together and invited a few close friends, yes we know we are in a panorama, but the house was Lysol’d down, restrooms were equipped with soap and hand sanitizer as well as masks on deck for those that wanted any. But needless to say it was a good night with good food, drinks and company. Since my house has been the “meeting place” for so long it really didn’t set in that I wasn’t going to be the host for my friends. For those of you that know me, my door is always open and there is usually a soda, cold beverage of the adult kind, and food in the fridge, pantry, or cooking that you are welcome to. But this is me just being me and making sure that everyone around me is taken care of. Realizing that made me tear up several times throughout the night but I didn’t let myself slip. lol The next day was for moving the final things and preparing for the first leg of our vacation. The first leg (week) of the vacation was spent in Las Vegas, at The Strat, at the end of the strip looking 360 all the way around Vegas. We had a blast. The first night once we landed and got checked in, we met up with my uncle who was on vacation with his daughter from California. We ate at the buffet at Circus Circus, and walked down to Bellagio to watch the water show (Elton John’s ‘Your Song’ was the song of choice for the show) We went sightseeing at The Grand Canyon West and the Hoover Dam, went to Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, and had 2 hours of free drinks at Senior Frogs (was only supposed to be 1 hour but our bartender was pretty cool), chilled in the pool at the hotel and did lots and lots of eating and walking lol.
Once we got back to DFW we went to a friend’s house to crash and get ready for the next part of our vacation. We went to S4 in Dallas the next day because why not? YOU NEED TO GO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL QUEENS!!!! I got to meet up with some more of my friends and one that I have not seen since 2009 as a freshman in college and that was so refreshing to know that everyone is doing well for themselves. Drinks and a good time was had. The next morning we all got up and got ready for the 1st inaugural BAEcation, which was created by me and another friend in order for all of us to stay in contact and have a good time once a year. This year we settled on floating the river in south Texas. 4 couples split an Airbnb, food and stuff and took off for a weekend get away. LOTS of food was made for all meals, but this is just how we do.
Upon the end of that weekend we continued on to Texas City to see my father and my grandmother, and to take my test. We went straight to the beach and to ride the ferry once we got in because that’s what you do when you go to the coast, and eat Bahama Bucks too. The written part of the Texas CDL exam to get your permit is tricky. There are 5 parts of the test (there are more but I only had to take 5). Texas Special Rules, General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Tanker, and Combinations. You have 3 tries to pass each exam. If you fail any part of the test, you have to come back the next day and attempt again, upon your 3rd attempt if you fail, you have to start all the way over including paperwork, and payment. We aren’t gonna get into the logistics of things just know that ya boy messed up on the Texas Special Rules and Air Brakes both once lol. Pretty good to be self-taught in my book. One that stress was over we went up to Friendwood to meet a friend for lunch and catch up with her. It was fun as always.
After leaving Texas City, we were on our way back north to Tyler, to pick up Leo (the pup) and Jessica’s truck to get the stuff we put in storage for the truck and we kept on towards Kress (my Mom’s) along the way we stopped and had dinner with Jessica’s mom and relaxed for a bit. Then we kept trucking with her in the truck and me in the car. After about 10 hours we made it to the other side of Texas to visit my mom, brother and his kids, and to see his house he has rebuilt. After chilling there for a few days, I left my car at my mom’s and we made our way to Springfield, Missouri where I am now in the training portion of my employment.
I will say that this has probably been one of the biggest leaps that I have done personally. But what is life if we aren’t living it!? I hope you all enjoy this blog and my progress into making it into the truck with Jessica.
Big Wheels Keep On Turnin' 